In The Name Of The GOD

        Religion: To me it was and it still is a way to seek answers, explain the unexplained, it is the eternal pursuit  of god and it is to give hope.

          Religion is as pure as god himself but the big question is...Is it anymore? Personal gains of some political and so-called religious groups have breached the sanctity of this holy system.  It is shameful that it is being achieved by hurting others. Religion has become a mere puppet dancing to their  tunes and is slowly losing its grandeur.

     

   

       Religion today is not seeking answers but giving fatwas, they seem to know everything , they have already found god and seems even talked to him/her in person and it is thriving on terror and slowly killing all hope.

          We cannot and should not gauge one religion on a scale of the other. It is bound to create conflicts. History has never seen a time where only one religion prevailed and it seems equally unlikely to happen in near future. Each religion has its own soul and philosophy and they are all meant to exist in peace.

So let us open up our minds and let the GOD guide us again.

NOTE :-It is true that a coin has two sides but what if it is a ball instead of a coin?

A Lesson for Policy Makers : Please Keep Quite and Listen

Govt : It is  all  because  of  the  doctor's  fault who is qualified 

and has done more than 50,000 surgeries AND we are innocent 

as usual.

The current state of our health system is pathetic if not more and is hardly going the right way. A recent article in a leading daily exposed it all. As quoted by the newspaper "All 83 tubectomy operations done laparoscopically at a free medical camp at  Bilaspur, Chhatisgarh failed. If it was not enough, 11 of them died of blood loss/complications and other 50 are still hospitalized. This is because all the surgeries were done by a single team using a sole laparoscope in just a few hours." If you didn't understand what just happened-"83 perfectly healthy lives are fighting the odds who underwent an elective procedure (which was not necessary for a healthy life) at a government approved center by a qualified person". Imagine,if  this happened to the  ladies who were doing the right thing in a supposedly right way what would be happening otherwise. And shockingly this might just be the tip of the iceberg. This is more like a massacre because it has taken more lives than a  small scale terrorist attack/ bomb blast that barely manages to make it to the newspapers. 

Ground Breaking Breakthroughs

If this is the state of our health system, our government should be speeding in top gear to cut the chase but quite surprisingly they were hardly moving and just took a reverse gear. Yes you read it right. Our government is doing their best to skew the statistics in their favor (Chhattisgarh was just an example: they were just trying to meet the goals set by the center) and making policies to woo the voters rather than patients. 

Recent amendment in the MTP Act allowing those practicing Ayurveda, Homeopathy and midwives to do abortions tells the same story.Getting the MTP done by untrained and unprofessional general practitioners is in anyway a retrograde step because neither they are trained or have background knowledge for this nor they would be equipped to handle any emergency arising out of this MTP which might jeopardize the life of a pregnant woman. If these amendments are implemented, more of Chhattisgarh type massacres can be expected to make it to the headlines.

Oh! He is doing fine...

Another vote grabbing move came when a new course 'Bsc (community Health)' for rural medicine was announced. It is retrograde because instead of upgrading the infrastructure the central government thought of downgrading the education/degree to meet the required numbers and by putting RMP's in place of doctors. This is happening when nothing is being done to meet the gaps in medical education, recruitment of doctors has remained patchy and the infrastructure practically doesn't exist. The picture doesn't seem to change if doctors are not included in policy making and the big claims in files start getting reciprocated in the real world. Hope it happens soon enough.

The 'Haider' Phenomenon

          This recent Shahid Kapoor starer release has inadvertently put critics versus patriots and sparked a new debate. This is a four pronged war  rather than a regular 'for' and 'against' debate  and you are a part of it whether  you watched it or not. The four warheads are : 

                1. Critics : These are the people who appreciated the high points of the movie irrespective of the fact that who liked it or who was hurt.  And at least the acting and performances can be appreciated by everyone alike leaving aside the controversial parts.

Note: It also includes movie buffs/Shahid's fans/mechanical hearts who just went in to have a good time, appreciated the jig and just dispersed into the crowd.

                2. Die hard patriots/customary Indians : They just refused to watch and talk about it on the pretext that it is anti-Army and observed an absolute boycott.

Note: It does not include people who refused to watch it due to any other reason.

            3. The sympathisers : They  are  the people    who   were  moved by the pain and sufferings of kashmiris  either after watching the movie or were preconditioned to do so. Although the range of emotions spanned from casually putting their view when time called - to thrusting their anger up everyone’s ass.

               4. The progressive minds :  These are the people who may or may not have watched the movie but appreciate the performances, agree/ sympathized with the torture the kashmiris had to face  and MOST IMPORTANTLY advocate the missing BIG PICTURE. It may be true that many have suffered but the fact that the soldiers have risked their lives for our own safety cannot be ignored and if they were not here many more would have suffered at the hands of these militants.  

I            'If the kashmiris live in fear , so does the soldier'.  You cant imagine the fear a soldier bears who has survived a mine attack on an unsuspecting army convoy, leave aside the loss of a soldier who succumbed to it.

Flaw in the script :

   

    

           The writer failed to include the terrorists in the story (may be intentionally). And the ones shown in the movie seems more like saints than extremist and are never seen hurting people. This is unfortunate because it completely ignores the fact that Army was put there with special powers to restrict the  militants only and not the innocent civilians as depicted in the movie.  It should also be noted that AFSPA would not have been in place if there was not a continuous risk of Pakistani militant insurgency  or extremist revolutions. It has put the Honorable ARMY in a dubious spot which is not expected of filmmaker of Vishal Bhardwaj’s stature .

Verdict : Critically acclaimed but Should Have Included Terrorists.

Achievers of Indian Origin : To be Proud or Not

                     

                       India is emerging as a big time winner in almost everything. There is hardly any list or award where India has missed the mark and even if it does, someone with Indian origin comes up to save the day. I mean we are everywhere from Nobel to Oscars ,Times  to Forbes, Politics to Medicine and Research , Sports to Entertainment and so on. Every now and then there is a news that someone of Indian origin has won this or that or become a CEO of a big firm or something like that.  Do I feel  proud ? yes, definitely but one thing comes to my mind every time.

Why do they have to leave India to reach that potential ? or in other words ,

Why India failed to keep the potential winners and achievers  here ? and 

why do they keep drifting away?

                         Another question arises that Why the Indians themselves can’t achieve the same? so that the  origin tag can be done away with. I have been thinking  and I could think of two reasons only :

                One is that we are one of the oldest civilizations, leading in population and  have NRI’s all over the world  or at least their  origin can be traced back to India. So the probability of any achiever being an Indian increases many folds. And not just achievers but some of the victims of international crimes/disasters happen to be Indian. Remember  the oil tanker hijack , Russian submarine that sank or any other such event that made it to the news. In fact I  read an article long time back which stated that there are only three countries in the world that do not have any  NRI i.e. Vatican city (the smallest country with least population) and our neighbors Bhutan(mostly dependent on India and no job opportunities)  and Pakistan (All Pakistanis are NRI’s in a way).

                       The other reason is what made me write this article. It is clear that the Indians have got potential but  the Government has not made enough attempts to tap this potential  or has failed completely . And   this cannot be blamed on the NRI’s because they are doing  what is best for them and  for their dreams and It is a shame that the opportunities in India cannot match the people of such caliber. I think they are the real treasure being kept in other countries and the government should make efforts to bring them back or at least start working in the direction of preventing  this brain drain. Such minds would help India grow in a much better way than the black money being cried about.

                        We should be proud that people of Indian origin are emerging as winners globally but I would be much more happy and proud when we as Indians can do it ourselves, like the Mangalyaan by ISRO.... hats off to them.

A Historical Marvel : Delhi

             The historical tales and folklore about Delhi can be traced back up to 3500 yrs BC to the period of Mahabharata and Indraprastha and isn't it just fascinating. Few footprints of the Mauryan and the Gupta dynasty (around 300 BC) have also been found here but it might just be a coincidence. But one thing is evident that Delhi has been inhabited since then and now it’s just a matter of who and when. Marks of the Empires from the early 15th century can be seen easily and are scattered all over Delhi. Here’s a peek into the history...

Iron Pillar at Qutub Complex

Gupta dynasty 

             Iron pillar of this era dates around 400 BC. It was commissioned by some ruler of the Gupta dynasty and relocated to its current place in Qutub complex later. It is notable for it's rust-resistant composition of the metals. It stood centuries against the weather but a fence had to be erected around the pillar in 1997 in response to damage caused by visitors ( It was considered good luck if one could stand with one's back to the pillar and make one's hands meet behind it. Remember, Cheeni Kam).

Qutub Minar

Mamluk dynasty

         Qutub Minar of this era is world's tallest brick minaret and it was commissioned in 1192 by Qutub-ud-din Aibak, the founder and first sultan of Mamluk dynasty.

Tughlak dynasty (1320- 1413) 

Tughlaqabad Fort 

       They built two cities in/around Delhi over the span of 100 years. Tughlaqabad and Firozabad, each fashioned around a grand fort. Mohammad bin Tughlaq of this dynasty (Remember, Chak De India) and renowned traveller Ibn Batutah who has a Bollywood song for him (Remember, Ishquiya) might sound familiar.Remnants of their Architectural glory lies at: Tughlaqabad fort, Wazirabad mosque, Firoz shah kotla fort & Firoz shah’s tomb at Hauz khas.

 

Baoli at Kotla Fort          Jami Masjid            Wazirabad Mosque          Firoz Shah's Tomb

Sayyid Dynasty (1414 – 1451)

       The remains of this dynasty overlap with that of Lodi dynasty.Tomb of Mohammad shah (3rd of the 4 rulers of the empire) can be seen at Lodi Gardens

Sikander Lodi's Tomb                                     Bada Gumbad with Mosque                                   Mohammad Shah's Tomb

Lodi dynasty (1451 – 1526) 

       Lodi gardens at the heart of the city dates back to the 15th century. After recommissioning and beautification it was named 'Lady Willingdon park' but after independence got it’s current name.

Purana Qila

Suri dynasty (1540 – 1553)

      Purana Qila was built by Sher Shah Suri and he also released the first rupiya /rupee of India.

   Hemu (Hemchandra Vikramaditya) took control over Delhi for a short period (1553 - 1556) but ultimately fell to Akbar's armies.

Mughal empire (1556 – 1857)

          Akbar took his capital to Agra until Shah Jahan built the city of Shahjahanabad (today’s old Delhi) including the Red Fort and Jama Masjid and moved back to Delhi in 1638.

View of Lal Qila from Jama Masjid

British East India Company

Rajpath

      They took control of Delhi in 1858 but their capital remained at Calcutta. In 1911 King George V announced the shifting of the capital back to Delhi and an extravagant architectural makeover of Delhi took place, also popularly known as Lutyen’s Delhi. In 1920's & 1930's Edward Lutyen designed and erected the Rashtrapati Bhawan, India Gate and Rajpath. 

            India gate was a memorial for WWI martyrs but Amar Jawan Jyoti was added at its base after 1971 Bangladesh war and it has served as the 'tomb of the unknown soldier' since then.

           Cannaught place was designed by Robert Tor Russell and the Secretariat building including PM Office and parliament house by Herbert baker.

Aerial view of Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament House and India Gate (if you can make out)

Mughals : Savages to Sultan

Roshan Ara Tomb- Delhi

                     We have all read at least something about the Great Mughals and how they ruled India with flamboyance for 300 years. I have always been intrigued about who they actually were and where did they come from? My quest took me to the roller coaster of Mughal reign in India. Its amazing how the history of our own neighborhood can be traced back past centuries but its a shame how the historical milestones of this tale of grandeur are lying in ruins.

" के जिनके कलम-ओ-तलवार ने रचा इतिहास था, 

बे-आबरू हुए वो बिखरे पन्नों से झाँकते हैं,

अब तेरी-मेरी क्या बिसात ऐ ग़ालिब, 

के मुघलिया तख़्त भी यहाँ धूल फाँकते हैं..."

                   

     The Mughal history is a conglomeration of multiple paradoxes. It is a story of savage raiders who became sumptuous rulers but interestingly, Hindustan was never the prime target. Mughals came from central Asia where each of the descendant of Timur (Timur-e-leng) was fighting for their own place. Babur was the first Mughal who came to India to stay, that too by chance only. A constant struggle with his uncles and cousins ousted him from his own town 'ferghana' and pushed him to the south where he settled at Kabul. The beginning of the Mughal reign is conventionally dated to Babur's victory over Ibrahim lodi in the first battle of panipat (1526). It was sheer tactics , valor and artillery & guns (used for the first time in northern india) that his army took down 4 times bigger army of Ibrahim lodi. His journey from 'ferghana' to Hindustan was nowhere near the league of his great ancestors Timur and Genghis khan but the details with which he recorded his personal odyssey gives him an added distinction. He lies in peace at his favorite garden at Kabul (obviously in ruins). Babur died in Dec,1530 and left Hindustan in the hands of the super-superstitious Humayun and his 3 younger brothers. The brothers could never unite and lost their empire to Sher Shah of sur dynasty. If it wasn't the generalship of the great warrior Bairam Khan, he could not have returned to power in 1555. Only credit that Humayun can be attributed to is that he gave us Akbar the Great.





            Under the rule of Akbar and his son Jahangir, India flourished the most and enjoyed economic progress as well as religious harmony. Akbar was a successful warrior which he demonstrated by defeating Hemu in the second battle of panipat (1556) soon after his accession to the throne. He also used his reputation perfectly to forge alliances with several Hindu Rajput kingdoms. He also founded a new religion deen-e-ilahi which was an amalgamation of both Hinduism and Islam. Jahangir continued to follow it but could not subdue most of the orthodox minds and it faded away. Jahangir was bad at other things too, he was a chronic alcoholic and it was he who opened the doors for British East India Company.

          Then came Shah Jahan, the fifth emperor, who gave us the masterpieces of Mughal architecture. The most famous of his creations are the Taj Mahal & the Moti Masjid at Agra and the Red Fort and Jama Masjid at Delhi . The Mughal Empire reached the zenith of its territorial expanse during the reign of Aurangzeb and it was this time when the fall also started. The Maratha resurgence encouraged the Nawabs of Bengal , Bhopal and oudh and the Nizam of Hyderabad to declare their independence from the Mughals .

       In 1739, Nader Shah crushed the left overs of Mughal pride and looted their capital including the koh-i-noor which ultimately ended up in the British Crown. The Mughal prowess continued to decline and the last emperor was limited only to the walled city of Delhi. This city of Shahajahanbad is today's Old Delhi. The 300 years old reign finally came to an end after the 1857 rebellion.

           This tale of grandeur gives me nostalgia and the fact that we are living in a royal neighborhood is astonishing and the pieces are scattered all over the place AND you don't have to try hard.

Tomb of Khan-i-Khana                                        Red Fort                                                   Humayun's Tomb      
These two tombs actually inspired the Taj Mahal

Scoop-oops: Got it all wrong...here’s a befitting reply

http://www.scoopwhoop.com/inothernews/two-finger-rape-test/?ref=social&type=fb&b=0 

8 year old male comes to a doctor holding his abdomen and crying in pain , he was shattered and confused but the doctor  cut him open and takes out his appendix and cures him. He should be ashamed of his act. The poor patient  had to go through such a horrible ordeal when he wanted to keep his appendix intact. This was the story in SCOOPWHOOP style.

This is so irresponsible to blame someone without  knowing anything and foolish to follow it blindly.

To set things straight, here are some real facts :

-All medical procedures (including general examination in O.P.D.s) are  done only after consent of the patient himself or his guardian in case of minors. In O.P.D.s it is called implied consent.

-Two finger test ???Might have been performed previously but so was witch hunting. It was deemed medically irrelevant and not done now a days and  It had nothing to do with hymen.

-Pelvic examination or per vaginal examination or PV exam: The findings are medically relevant and not just for sadistic pleasure. Refer here for details : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK286/

-Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India has set guidelines (last updated in 2013)for forensic medical examination of sexual assault victim. Even Per vaginal  examination  is not must in children if no history of penetration or if parent/guardian  refuses. Complete guidelines for reference  : http://www.icmr.nic.in/dhr/pdf/1%20DHR%20Forensic%20Medical%20Manual%20Sexual%20Assault.pdf

-Even when it is done (or any other painful procedure), we are comfortably away from 18^th century  to use painkillers, sedatives and anesthesia.

-Article 21: Protection of life and personal liberty. No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law. It has nothing to do with a procedure done under Government issued guidelines with proper consent.

-The pictures  in a post might be moving but please check the source first...I am sure none of it will take you to the ‘horrifying’ two finger test.

Alternative:

Use your own brain.

Speak up:

Defaming a noble profession is insulting. If you know anybody who is doing it, speak up. Doctors are on your side.

5 MOVIES YOU MUST WATCH...

                 These movies have just one thing in common- ‘a positive energy’ so strong that will light up each and every  corner of your souls. They all have a message to take home, each beautifully gift wrapped in delicate layers of entertainment to make a complete package. They are here to revolutionize the concepts of #education, #social responsibility, #religion, #politics and #terrorism. You will have to watch them to experience the thrill.

“Some movies make you laugh and some make you cry but the best ones make you think”

Here are some movies that will charge up some neurons for sure so be prepared to meet the new you:-

3 Idiots - ‘An Aamir khan 300 crore masterpiece’ : If you were waiting for a sign that will make you fight for your dreams...then this is it. It has this immense positive energy that you needed for that extra push. It portrays so beautifully that you can fight all odds if you believe in yourself  and success will follow if you have the courage to follow your dreams. Dreams do come true.

Bawarchi  - ‘A  Rajesh  Khanna  classic from the 70’s’: It is amazing to see how 'kaka' simplifies the intricate relationships of a dynamic family. You will know how little things can make  big changes.  It will compel  your heart to beat for your family. More than  just a 'family entertainer'.

Oh My  God - ‘OMG’ :  A perfect balance between science and religion. An atheist meets the God and religion is redefined in the process...its up to you what you choose to believe. It is not against God but tells you how you can come closer to him and against popular belief temples are not  ‘the toll stations’ on ‘highway to heaven’.  A ‘holy trail’ for us to follow.

Bhootnath Returns  - ‘And what a comeback’ :  It is a movie so intelligently written that it ends up being too good to be  just  a sequel . This political satire  cum children movie will motivate you to come out and vote .  You sure can do what a ‘bhoot’ can.

A Wednesday  -  ‘24 hrs of high adrenaline Drama’ : It is a perfect blend of amazing script, soul stirring dialogues  and powerful performances  of  bollywood veterans executed to absolute perfection. A common man’s fight against terrorism takes the big guns with a surprise. An absolute stunner.

Why Doctors are leaving India...

                 The doctors  often  end up at the receiving end of public’s fury or govt’s  vote wooing  policies or media’s one sided stories but what’s their side of the story? It is still only some mysterious speculation. The truth is that our healthcare system is as ruthless and unforgiving for the doctors as it is for the patients. Politicians and bureaucrats take up all the breathing space in the system and doctors remain crammed up in the corners. It takes their heart and soul to become a doctor over nearly ten grilling years of otherwise enjoyable youth to come face to face to their dreams  But only a few of these dreams can survive in the real world. 

                  The story starts with a young , energetic and ever hopeful medial aspirant who stumble down the rabbit hole and wonders where he landed. Of the nearly 6 lakh aspirants entering the maze each year only a handful reach the treasure chest of super specialization (DM/Mch) only to realize that the treasure chest is empty and it has to be filled with even more hard work over the rest of their life. Nearly 10 years of study and nowhere to go.  Most of the few jobs offered in government sector are contractual only and does not allow private practice along with many other unnecessary limitations. Stringent rules for small clinics and huge capital and time required to get settled is not everyone’s cup of tea.  The private sector is rapidly going corporate ways with little scope for autonomy and more work per penny. The doctors are just trapped in a mess and only easy way out opens beyond the borders. It doesn't mean doctors don’t earn enough  but  that there are very few options and leaving so much to  chance after so much of hard work is demoralizing. some leave for further studies, some for jobs and some just to get away but ultimately all are chasing their dreams only. It is ironical how India is promoting medical tourism and the doctors are leaving the country.

Doctors are being used as mere pawns  for political gains. Compulsory rural posting is just one such example. Yes it is a noble cause but the doctor has earned his right to make his own choice. Yes they are in a noble profession but they have put a lot of time and money to ask for their due.  Yes they go on a strike but not with the  intention of killing someone but to fight for their  own right to work in a safe and secure environment .  yes they endorse certain drugs or brands sometimes based on their experience or belief and  not always for monetary gains . yes they charge hefty consultation fee sometimes but  the sleepless nights they spend remain unnoticed. Doctors are  also humans but their superhuman hard work should not be overlooked. There are good and bad people in each and every profession and things need not be generalized for everyone.

                    

                    Please take a moment and try to understand what a person goes through to become a doctor and you will know what he deserves... 

दिल की कलम से...

ख़यालों  ने  उनके  सताया  है  इस  क़दर,   के  राबता  हो  उनसे....तो  पूछेंगे  ज़रूर ;

तराशा  है  तुम्हें  खुद  उस  ख़ुदा  ने,   या  हो  तुम  परी....या  कोई  हूर |

है  तुमसे  ही  धड़कन  इस  दिल  की,   और  तुम्ही  से  इन  आँखों  का  नूर;

मर  ही  मिटा  तुमपर,  तो  इस  दिल  का  क्या  क़सूर |

 के   इस  दिल  ने  ही  दिखाई  अंधेरों  में ,  नज़रों  को  राहें  तमाम  हैं;

माना  हुई  है  इससे  ख़ता,   पर  क़ुबूल  हमें  भी  ये  ख़ूबसूरत  इल्ज़ाम  है |

न  जाने  हुआ  ये  कैसे ,   के  एक   ही   झलक  में  दिल-ओ-जान  गवाँ  बैठे;

अजनबी  हुए  ख़ुद  से,  और  उन्हे  भगवान  बना  बैठे |

जादू  चला  उनका  कुछ  इस  तरह ,  के  हम...रहे  नहीं  हम;

पर  मिल  जाए  उनका  साथ  अगर,   तो  ख़ुद  को  खोने  का  भी  नही  ग़म |

के  इस  बेखुदी  में  जो  मज़ा   है,   वो  होश  में  आने  में  कहाँ ;

उनकी  नज़रों  में  अपनी  तस्वीर  सा  नशा ,   किसी   पैमाने   में  कहाँ |

बयाँ  करूँ  भी  तो   कैसे,   के  बीते  कैसे  बरसों... इन  नज़रों  की  तलाश  में;

ज़िंदा  होने  के  इल्ज़ाम  तले ,   चल  रही  थी  साँसें ...ज़िंदगी  की  आस  में |

ज़िंदगी  की  तपती  धूप  में ,   राहत...शाम  में  हमने  पाई  है;

गुज़र  गये  वो  झुलस्ते  मंज़र,    के  जीवन  में  शब  लौट  आई  है|

ख्वाबों  के  इस  वीराने  में ,   क्या  खूब  हरियाली  छाई  है;

के  ढूंड  रहे  थे  हम  अल्फाज़ों  को,  और...खुद  ग़ज़ल  ही  चली  आई  है |

के   बयान   हो  कैसे  इन   लफ़्ज़ों   में,   जो  शख्सियत  ही  ख़ुदाया  है;

याकता  वो  हीर,    जिसने  इस  दिल  को  सजाया  है |

Indian Army : The saviour of sportsmen

                

    “करके  फरियाद  जाने  क्यूँ  उसे  शर्मिंदा  किया  करते  हैं........ख़बर  जिसे  हर  राज़-ए-दिल  की है;

                      ख़्वाब  वो  सुनहरे  चूमेंगे  ख़ुद  ही  कदम.......गर  हम  उनके  क़ाबिल  भी  हैं...”

                The name of Indian Army is almost synonymous with bravery and glory. Every single soldier is a hero himself. Their eyes  shining  with  pride, head held high  and their uniform studded with medals speak of their heroics and valor. Some of these brave hearts rise to heaven protecting the mother India  while  some hold our hands with compassion  when  mother nature gets angry. Each one of them deserves a grand  salute. The Indian Army  have been formidable in the battlefield but not many know that they have also  dominated  the sports arena for many years. They have given some of the greatest sporting legends to the country and put India on a global stage. In the social turmoil of poverty ridden India, the Indian Army proved to be the perfect breeding ground for legends whose extraordinary feats totally eclipsed their meager  backgrounds. Undoubtedly, it was their sheer hard work  and passion for their sport that took them to such great heights but the Indian army certainly laid down the foundation stone. The army aptly played the best matchmaker here and who knows how they would have met their dreams without the Indian Army by their side. Sadly,  still many of such prodigies might not have made it out of their backyards.

              First among such heroes to rise to the occasion was the one who went on to become the face of the Indian national sport - Major Dhyan chand (1905- 3 Dec, 1979). He is best remembered for his extraordinary goal scoring feats and the 3 successive Olympic gold medals in 1928, 32 and 36 in hockey. But this legend first met with  his  hockey stick in the army grounds only and they fell in love instantly. The Army gave him the much needed opportunity and then there was no turning back. He did not just win matches but hearts also and that too of the likes of Adolf Hitler and Sir Don Bradman. He was truly the “magician of hockey” and  his  dream run in hockey never had any major low points.

                                        “He scores goals like runs in cricket”                                                                                                              - Sir Don Bradman

                 To commemorate his contribution to the legacy, his birthday, 29^th August, is celebrated as the National Sports Day and the highest award for lifetime achievement in sports is named after him. He went all over the world and left his mark everywhere, from Vienna to London. But  after  he retired from the army as Major, all his medals lost their luster. He couldn't tackle  this time and destiny scored. He was left penniless and debilitated. It  is a  shame  that  a legend of  his stature had  to die of liver cancer in a financial crisis. If you think it was sad then  the  next   story  was  even worse in terms of  its  climax. He was Subedar Paan Singh Tomar. He  never  always  knew what steeple chase was but the hurdles were no match for his agility  and hard work. He became the National Champion seven times and his record of 9 min 4 sec in 3000 mtr steeple chase remained unbeaten for a decade. But then a family feud went berserk and he had to retire early only to fall prey to the dark side of his destiny. Further events took such a tragic turn that the story culminated in the transformation of an international sportsperson into a dacoit. He  was  hunted down and killed in an encounter few years later. It is a pity that a champion died a criminals  death. But this next legend’s past was as gory and filled with bloodshed as were Paan Singh’s last days. He was the ‘flying Sikh’ himself - Milkha Singh. 

                   He also met the sprinter in him after joining the army as Sepoy only. The feats he achieved set a new benchmark in athletics. After amassing a pile of medals, he ran his dream run in 1960 Olympics. He just missed the medal but his record time of 45.73 sec for 300 mtr was glued to his name for 40 years. He was the only male individual to win athletics gold medal in commonwealth games until Vikas Gowda did it in discus throw in 2014. He subsequently became the Director of Sports in the Punjab Ministry of Education, from which he retired in 1998 but still serving the country in one way or the other. This next legend is also serving the country and is still active in sports and preparing to fetch 6th World Champion Title for her three kids. She is M.C. Mary Kom. She never served in the army but the Indian navy cheekily played a vital role in boosting her career. Mary Kom was deeply inspired by a Manipuri boxer ‘Dingko Singh’ who served in Indian navy and won 1998 Asian Games gold medal in boxing. She later trained under the same coach and went on to become a boxing legend. The connection is small but nevertheless important.

                  All these legends were unique in their own way but they all shared something in common too. They all belonged to meager backgrounds and realized their dreams only after joining the Armed forces. They were all naturally gifted and born winners and the army catapulted their potential to another level. The Armed Forces deserves a salute for their contribution to their sporting careers. These legends dominated each of their sporting fields for decades and set unmatchable records but sadly, some of them were forgotten in their last days. With their splendid performances they made one thing more than clear that 

“we may be lagging behind in medal tallies 

but we were never scarce in talent”. 

                       We just need to look around with intent and such legends will keep coming up, each with a more inspiring story than the other. But a performer is nothing without an audience and the least we can do is, pick a sport and follow and support it with all our heart and let them hear the echoes of our screams till their last breath. The political and administrative changes will take their time but we have our hearts and that’s all we have to give. These legends need us as much as we need them. So, come forward and make India proud.

Biographies:

Dhyan Chand  - Goal                                                                               

Milkha Singh   - Race of my life               

Mary Kom        - Unbreakable